International recommendation (soft law)
UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
Adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference in November 2021, the Recommendation is a comprehensive ethics instrument covering values and principles (including human rights and human dignity, living in harmony, diversity, and environment) and policy action areas such as data, health, culture, education, economy, and communication. It is a recommendation, not a treaty: it guides states but does not by itself create court-enforceable international obligations of the kind a convention would.
Last reviewed 2026-08-22
- Issuer
- UNESCO
- Year
- 2021
- Status
- Adopted; non-binding unless given effect in domestic law
- Geographic scope
- Global (UNESCO Member States)
- Intended audience
- UNESCO Member States, public institutions, and other stakeholders implementing ethics of AI
- Official source
- Official text (opens in a new tab)
Main themes
- Human rights and fundamental freedoms
- Proportionality and do-no-harm
- Safety and security
- Fairness and non-discrimination
- Sustainability
- Right to privacy and data protection
- Human oversight and determination
- Transparency and explainability
- Responsibility and accountability
- Awareness and literacy